African clawed frogs sense vibrations in the water (the lines along the sides of the body that appear to be "stitches" are similar in function to the lateral line organs in fish), so they might react to strong vibrations from a pump's motor that rests against the glass or on top of the tank. However, they do fine with any average submersible, corner, cannister or hanging filter...I have bred them for several generations using a variety of filters (1 animal reached age 21).

Despite their overall hardiness, they are quite sensitive to ammonia levels, so good filtration and frequent partial water changes are essential. A well-established undergravel filter is fine if the gravel is vacuumed regularly, but bear in mind that these frogs often swallow gravel while feeding, size needs to be considered.

I have quite a few herp care articles posted at the following site, if you are interested in reading more: